Means for aiding fuel atomization

ABSTRACT

A microporous sheet of material is disposed between the fuel and air inlets and the outlet of a carburetor.

Umted States Patent 1 1 1111 3,711,257 Linn 1 51 Jan. 16, 1973 [541 MEANS FOR AIDING FUEL [56] References Cited MIZATI N ATO 0 UNITED STATES PATENTS v [75] Inventor: Wallace L. Linn, Indianapolis, Ind.

760,673 5/1904 White et a1 148/180 P [73] Assignee: P. R. Mallory 81 Co., Inc., lndi- 1,139,747 5 1915 Bayley ....48/180 UX anapolis, 1nd. 1,195,254 8/1916 Newton ..48/180 S 1 ,401,609 12/1921 Klein ..48/180 FfledI 21, 1970 1,629,964 12 1927 Price 1 ..48/18O 1,949,803 3/1934 Loebs.... ..48/180 [21] Appl' 100,288 3,221,719 12/1965 Ulrich ..48/180 x Related US. Application Data I Primary ExammerMorr1s O. Wolk [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 85,652, Oct. 30, A i tant Examiner R, E, Serwin 1970, abandoned- Azt0rneyRichard H. Childress et a1.

[52] U.S. Cl. ..48/180 R, 48/180 C, 48/180 H [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..F02m 15/04, F02m 31/12 Field of Search A's/180 180 180 180 A microporous sheet of matenal 15 disposed between 48/180 P, 180 H; 123/119 R the fuel and air inlets and the outlet of a carburetor.

16 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures TEMPERATURE SENSOR TO ENGINE COMBUSTION CHAMBER PATENTEUJAN 16 ms 3.711.257

SHEET 1 BF 2 TO ENGINE COMBUSTION 58: CHAMBER 2s TEMPERATURE SENSOR 54 3e 34 y v-)v\ FUEL TANK INVENTOR.

WALLACE L. LINN ATTORNEY PATENTEDJAH 16 I975 SHEET 2 [IF 2 5 a I F 2 INVENTOR WALLACE L. LINN ATTORNEY MEANS FOR AIDING FUEL ATOMIZATION This is a Continuation-in-Part of Application Ser. No. 85,652, filed Oct. 30, 1970 in the name of Wallace L. Linn now abandoned.

This invention relates to a means for aiding fuel atomization; more particularly, it relates to a carburetor employing such means and to the combination of such carburetor with engines.

Engine manufacturers are constantly seeking new fuel-air induction systems which will improve on performance characteristics of engines. This is true whether it be for large automobile engines or smaller engines such as used in power lawnmowers. For the most part, improvements in fuel-air induction systems are aimed at increasing the overall efficiency of the engine, and reducing the amount of pollutants being ejected from the engines exhaust system. It is fairly well recognized that better atomization of the fuel mixture would result in higher efficiency and less air pollution.

The present invention is directed towards a carburetor and has as one of its objects the provision of a carburetor having a means for aiding atomization of the combustible mixture.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a carburetor having a fuel and air inlet, an outlet for the combustible mixture, and a sheet of metal having microperforations covering substantially its entire area disposed between the inlets and the outlets.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a carburetor having an inlet and an outlet with a sheet of metal taken from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, chromium, nickel, cobalt and alloys thereof and having microperforations covering substantially its entire area disposed between the inlets and outlets.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a carburetor having a fuel and air inlet and an outlet and a sheet of metal having microperforations covering substantially its entire area, the microperforations including holes, the walls of which are concave.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a carburetor for an engine which improves the engines efficiency.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a carburetor for an engine which reduces the amount of pollutants being emitted from the engines exhaust system.

Another object of the invention is the provision of the combination of an engine with a carburetor, the carburetor employing a sheet of metal having microperforations for better fuel atomization.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG 1 is a sectional view in elevation schematically showing the principals of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of a piston engine utilizing the carburetor of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a rotary engine utilizing the carburetor of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a portion of the microperforated metal sheet.

generally speaking, there is provided a carburetor wherein a fuel and a gas are mixed together to form a combustible mixture, a chamber, gas inlet means to the chamber and fuel inlet means supplying a fuel to the chamber under pressure to form a combustible mixture, a sheet of metal having microperforations covering substantially its entire area disposed in the chamber in an interference path with the flow of the combustible mixture and an outlet means permitting the combustible mixture to pass out of the chamber. The combustible mixture, a portion of which is substantially atomized, passes to an engine where the mixture is fired, the energy released being used to drive a drive shaft.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a carburetor l0 employing the principals of the invention. Carburetor 10 includes a shell 12 forming a chamber 14, gas inlet means 16, fuel inlet means 18 and outlet means 20, and a means 22 for aiding fuel atomization. As shown, gas inlet means l6'and fuel outlet means 20 includes ports 16' and 20, respectively, communicating with conduits l6" and 20" respectively.

The means 22 aiding fuel atomization, includes a sheet of material 24 having microperforations 26 covering substantially its entire area. The sheet 24 in cludes a metal taken from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, chromium, nickel, cobalt and alloys thereof. As shown, the sheet of material 24 is conical in shape with its apex at least pointed towards the direction of outlet means 20 or, as shown, extending into the outlet means. The sheet of material is carried by a plurality of struts 28 carried by the shell 12 and extending into the chamber 24. Thus only a portion of the fuel is fed through the sheet of material, the balance of the fuel passing around the sheet in a turbulent mode. The sheet of material is preferably heated through electrical heating means 30 which includes a rheostat 32 connected to a suitable power source such as a battery 34. The temperature of the sheet is indicated through a temperature sensor 36.

Fuel inlet means 18 includes a conduit 38 extending into the conical sheet 24 to an area near its apex, and a pump 40 connected to a fuel supply 42 through conduit 44. A flow regulating valve 46 controls the amount of fluid being fed to the chamber 14 under pressure.

In operation, a gas such as air is fed into the chamber 14 through inlet means 16 and simultaneously fuel under pressure is fed to the chamber, and generally into the conical sheet 24 through fuel inlet means 18. The mixing of the fuel and the gas forms a combustible mixture, a portion of which passes through the microperforations 26 to form a substantially atomized effluent 48 which then passes to an engine combustion chamber 50 by way of a suitable coupling means 52. To further aid in atomizing the combustible mixture, the sheet is heated through electrical heating means 30, the amount of current flow and thus the desired temperature being set by rheostat 32 in accordance with a predetermined temperature, the temperature being indicated by temperature sensor 36. It is to be understood that temperature sensor 36 could be coupled to the electrical heating means 30 such that the temperature of the sheets 24 can be automatically controlled. The passage of the combustible mixture through the microperforations 26 substantially breaks up the mixture into minute particles or a very fine spray. The resulting atomized effluent 48 is carried to the engine combustion chamber 50 with the effluent 48 being substantially surrounded in an envelope of an unatomized, turbulent mixture coming from around atomization means 22 is indicated by the arrows 54.

Referring to FIG. 3, carburetor is shown being used in combination with a piston engine 60, a portion of which is shown. As previously described, gas and fuel are fed to the carburetor through inlets l6 and 18 respectively to form a combustible mixture, a portion of which has been substantially atomized through the use of the sheet with microperforations, which is fed to piston engine 60 through outlet means 20. Piston engine 60 includes cylinder 62 providing a combustion chamber 63 and carrying a piston means 64 which is coupled to crank shaft 66, fuel inlet means 68, exhaust means 70 and ignition means 72. Fuel inlet means 68 includes conduit means 68', communicating with outlet means 20, and valve means 68 which includes valve seat 67 cooperating with port 62 of cylinder 62. Exhaust means 60 includes conduit means 60' and valve means 60" which includes valve seat 65 cooperating with port 62" of cylinder 62. ignition means 72 includes spark plug 72' which is exposed to chamber 63.

Assuming that piston 64 has just completed its exhaust stroke, piston 64 will move to the other end of the cylinder, valve means 68" will open to allow fuel from carburetor 10 to enter the cylinder. The next stroke of the piston will compress the fuel, the fuel being ignited by spark plug 72. The next stroke of the piston is the power cycle, the last stroke being the exhaust with valve means 60" allowing exhaust gases to escape as the piston returns to its original position.

Referring to FIG. 4, a portion of a rotary type engine 80 is shown. Rotary engine 80 includes a shell 82 forming a substantially spherical combustion chamber 84 in which a rotary piston means 86 rotates, ignition means 88, fuel inlet means 90 and exhaust means 92. Rotary piston means 86 drives a shaft means 94 through teeth 96 meshing with teeth 98 as the piston rotates. Fuel inlet means includes conduit 90' communicating with chamber 84, while exhaust means 92 includes a similar conduit 92. Ignition means 88 includes spark plug 88'. Carburetor 10 is of the type shown and described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

in operation, fuel is fed to the engine 80 from carburetor 10, a portion of the fuel being substantially atomized through the use of the microperforated sheets. Starting from the position shown, as rotary piston 86 rotates, fuel enters the chamber from carburetor 10 through conduit 90. Further rotation causes the fuel inlet to be shut off through engagement of surface 84' of rotary piston 86 with port 90" of conduit 90. Continued rotation causes compression of the fuel and combustion through spark plug 88. Following combustion, further rotation permits expansion of the gas (power) and subsequent exhaust of the gases through outlet means 92. With this type of engine, there is a continuous flow of fuel and hence a continuous cycling of the engine. The microperforated sheet 24 is particularly useful in this type of engine where the flow of fuel is continuous. More specifically, with the continuous flow the fuel to the carburetor may be kept under a constant pressure of a predetermined level.

The microperforations 26 in sheets 24 may be formed by any suitable process. A particularly useful process would be an electrolytic process such as disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,352,769. As there described, the sheet is connected as an anodein an electrolytic cell containing a non-polarizing electrolyte and then direct current is charged through the cell to produce a multiplicity of light transmitting microperforations throughout the sheet, the perforations being primarily due to electrochemical action. As further described in the above-noted patent, one of the basic factors in the operation of the process is the non-polarizing character of the electrolyte. The specific electrolyte would depend upon the material being perforated. For titanium, aluminum, chromium, nickel, cobalt and alloys thereof, solutions of chlorides, fluorides, and bromides would be suitable. For stainless steel, a particularly useful electrolyte would be hydrochloric acid, the concentration of which would be dependent to a great degree upon the type of stainless steel being perforated. The number of perforations may vary considerably with current, time and alloy composition. In general, however, as noted in the above-referenced patent, for stainless steel they may average in the order of 10 to 40 microns, the number being approximately 15,000 per square inch as measured on microphotographs against a standard scale. The particular process described produces a sheet having microperforations substantially as shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a sheet of metal 24 having a multiplicity of microperforations 26 formed therein by the above-noted process. The microperforations, in general, includes holes 26' of varying diameter having concave walls 25.

in an experiment with a 4HP, 4 cycle stationary engine using a carburetor of the type generally shown in FIG. 1, with a stainless steel microperforated sheet generally shown in FIG. 5, the engine seemed to start more easily, and for a given amount of fuel, the power output showed as increase. There also seemed to be a reduction in visible exhaust emissions.

What is claimed is:

1. In a carburetor wherein a fuel and a gas are mixed together to form a combustible mixture:

a. a chamber,

b. gas inlet means to said chamber and fuel inlet means supplying a fuel to said chamber under pressure to form a combustible mixture,

. a sheet of metal having microperforations covering substantially its entire area disposed in said chamber in an interference path with the flow of said combustible mixture, and

outlet means permitting said combustible mixture to pass out of said chamber.

2. In a carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said microperforations include holes having concave walls.

3. In a carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said sheet of metal is taken from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, chromium, nickel, cobalt, and alloys thereof.

4. In a carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said sheet is heated.

5. ln a carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said sheet is a cone, the apex of which is directed toward said outlet means.

6. in a carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said fuel inlet means includes conduit means extending into said cone.

7. In a carburetor according to claim 3 wherein said sheet is stainless steel and said microperforations are of a size and number in the order of to 40 microns.

8. In a carburetor according to claim 7 wherein said stainless steel sheet has a thickness of from about 0.0005 to about 0.005 inch.

9. A carburetor comprising:

a. a spherical shell providing a chamber,

b. a gas inlet port in said shell,

c. an outlet port in said shell in substantial axial alignment with said inlet port,

(I. a plurality of struts carried by said shell and extending into said chamber,

e. a conical sheet carried by said struts between said gas inlet port and said outlet port and having its apex directed toward said outlet port, said sheet including microperforations covering substantially its entire area,

f. fuel inlet means supplying fuel to said chamber under pressure, said fuel inlet means including conduit means extending into said conical sheet and pointing toward said apex, and

. means electrically coupled to said conical sheet supplying electrical current to said sheet at a predetermined magnitude.

10. A method of aiding fuel atomization comprising:

a. providing a carburetor having fuel-gas inlets and an outlet substantially aligned therewith,

b. providing a sheet of metal between said inlets and outlet and having microporous perforations covering substantially its entire area,

c. supplying a gas through said gas inlet, and a fuel under pressure through said fuel inlet to form a combustible mixture, and

d. passing at least a portion of said combustible mixture through said metal sheet and out said outlet.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said metal taken from the group consisting essentially of stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, chromium, nickel, cobalt and alloys thereof.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein said metal is stainless steel and said microperforations areof a size and number in the order of IO to 40 microns.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said stainless steel sheet has a thickness of from about 0.0005 to about 0.005 inch.

14. In combination, an engine and a carburetor means supplying fuel to said engine, said carburetor means including a sheet of metal having microperforations covering substantially its entire area disposed between the gas-fuel inlets and the outlet of said carburetor, and means connecting said carburetor outlet to the combustion chamber of said engine.

15. The combination according to claim 14 wherein said engine includes a cylinder providing said combustion chamber, piston means carried by said cylinder, ignition means communicating with said combustion chamber, and exhaust outlet means communicating with said combustion chamber.

16. The combination according to claim 14 wherein said engine includes a substantially spherical combustion chamber, rotatable piston means carried by said combustion chamber, ignition means communicating with said combustion chamber, and exhaust outlet means communicating with said combustion chamber. 

2. In a carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said microperforations include holes having concave walls.
 3. In a carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said sheet of metal is taken from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, chromium, nickel, cobalt, and alloys thereof.
 4. In a carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said sheet is heated.
 5. In a carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said sheet is a cone, the apex of which is directed toward said outlet means.
 6. In a carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said fuel inlet means includes conduit means extending into said cone.
 7. In a carburetor according to claim 3 wherein said sheet is stainless steel and said microperforations are of a size and number in the order of 10 to 40 microns.
 8. In a carburetor according to claim 7 wherein said stainless steel sheet has a thickness of from about 0.0005 to about 0.005 inch.
 9. A carburetor comprising: a. a spherical shell providing a chamber, b. a gas inlet port in said shell, c. an outlet port in said shell in substantial axial alignment with said inlet port, d. a plurality of struts carried by said shell and extending into said chamber, e. a conical sheet carried by said struts between said gas inlet port and said outlet port and having its apex directed toward said outlet port, said sheet including microperforations covering substantially its entire area, f. fuel inlet means supplying fuel to said chamber under pressure, said fuel inlet means including conduit means extending into said conical sheet and pointing toward said apex, and g. means electrically coupled to said conical sheet supplying electrical current to said sheet at a predetermined magnitude.
 10. A method of aiding fuel atomization comprising: a. providing a carburetor having fuel-gas inlets and an outlet substantially aligned therewith, b. providing a sheet of metal between said inlets and outlet and having microporous perforations covering substantially its entire area, c. supplying a gas through said gas inlet, and a fuel under pressure through said fuel inlet to form a combustible mixture, and d. passing at least a portion of said combustible mixture through said metal sheet and out said outlet.
 11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said metal taken from the group consistIng essentially of stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, chromium, nickel, cobalt and alloys thereof.
 12. A method according to claim 10 wherein said metal is stainless steel and said microperforations are of a size and number in the order of 10 to 40 microns.
 13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said stainless steel sheet has a thickness of from about 0.0005 to about 0.005 inch.
 14. In combination, an engine and a carburetor means supplying fuel to said engine, said carburetor means including a sheet of metal having microperforations covering substantially its entire area disposed between the gas-fuel inlets and the outlet of said carburetor, and means connecting said carburetor outlet to the combustion chamber of said engine.
 15. The combination according to claim 14 wherein said engine includes a cylinder providing said combustion chamber, piston means carried by said cylinder, ignition means communicating with said combustion chamber, and exhaust outlet means communicating with said combustion chamber.
 16. The combination according to claim 14 wherein said engine includes a substantially spherical combustion chamber, rotatable piston means carried by said combustion chamber, ignition means communicating with said combustion chamber, and exhaust outlet means communicating with said combustion chamber. 